It was another tough day at the office for the Hawke's Bay/Poverty Bay women's golf team in Ashburton yesterday.
The HBPB side lost both their matches - 3-2 to Auckland in the morning and 4-1 to Waikato in the afternoon.
In the morning, No1 Kate Chadwick and No3 Jamie McIvorprevailed but in the afternoon No5 Tessa McDonald was the only victor, on day two of the annual Toro Interprovincial team matchplay tournament.
"Even though we lost 4-1 against Waikato, the games we lost were also very close," said McIvor, who beat Brittney Dryland, of Auckland, 4 and 3 but lost 2 and 1 to Waikato's Fai Tongdethsri in the afternoon.
Chadwick pipped Auckland top seed Munchin Keh 2 and 1 but was 2 down to Waikato's Chantelle Cassidy while McDonald, of Gisborne, notched her first win, 3 and 2, over Kelly Nicholas.
"They were always going to be tough matches," said McIvor, who hasn't played golf this year.
"I was not even a member of a club," said the 25-year-old, who has resumed her membership with Maraenui Golf Club after completing her chartered accountant's studies only a month ago.
The PDO accountancy firm employee said she now had "spare time" to get back into taming fairways but was never under any illusions that this week would be easy despite having eight tourneys under her belt.
HBPB have a bye this morning and play Aorangi in the afternoon.
Waikato also thumped the South Cantabrians 5-0 yesterday morning, although Chadwick will have a fight on her hands as their top seed, Catherine Knight, has only lost one game.
Division one, with HBPB in it, is congested so today will be crucial for the semifinals contenders as Canterbury face Waikato and Auckland at 7.30am.